Pirate's Cove Updates

Dear Pirate Families,

This past week was Assistant Principal Appreciation Week. We were excited and honored to celebrate Mrs. Pickett! She is one of the hardest working individuals I have met and loves kids like no other! We are thankful to have her at Spotswood!

We have numerous military families in our school community. These service men and women make great sacrifices to serve our country; however, their children also make great sacrifices as often the parent serving misses significant time with their family. This week we will be honoring the Month of the Military Child with a Spirit Week. Tomorrow wear something honoring a place you have lived, visited, or want to visit! See below for the themes for the rest of the week!

On Thursday, our Chorus Club will be holding their Spring Concert at 7:00pm. These students have worked hard all year and we look forward to their performance. It is always spectacular!

As a reminder, when visiting the building you will need to have your government issued, picture identification out before being able to enter the building. This is to prevent you having to go back to the car to get it. We are required to scan the identification through our Raptor System if you will be entering the school campus, so you must have a "physical" identification (not a picture of your id). Thank you for your understanding in our efforts to ensure our students' safety!

Proud Pirate,

Mrs. Sotzing

Congratulations to Mrs. Phillips' 2nd grade class for having 99% of students in attendance this week! They have earned extra recess!

If your child is going to miss a day, please be sure to reach out to the Attendance Secretary to let her know why he/she will be out. You can also email the Attendance Secretary @ Spotswoodesattendance@spotsylvania.k12.va.us. Thank you in advance!

Please join us for the SOL Carnival and Community Resource Fair on Thursday, April 30th from 5:15pm-7:00pm.

Title III is a federal program that supports students who are learning English by helping them develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.

In Spotsylvania County Public Schools, Title III funds support programs such as the Summer Language Institute, instructional resources, and family events like Resource Fairs, Literacy Nights, College and Career Nights, and STEM Nights. These opportunities help students succeed and keep families connected to their child’s education.

We would love to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to complete the Title III Parent Survey and share your feedback.

The survey will close on Friday, May 1st.

Thank you for your time and for supporting our students and schools!

English Title III Survey

Spanish Title III Survey

Dari Title III Survey

Farsi Title III Survey

Pashto Title III Survey

Arabic Title III Survey

Preschool is now accepting applications for the 26-27 school year. Students must be 4 by September 30th. If your SSW and Counselor teams know of any families that have a 4 year old that might qualify for our program, please refer them to us.

Pre-registration for the 2026-27 school year is open. To enter Kindergarten next fall, a child must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2026.

If a language other than English is spoken in the home and you need assistance registering your child, please call the SCPS Welcome Center at 540-582-7047. You may also visit the ESOL Welcome Center for more information.

To begin the Student Registration Process, please follow these steps and use the links below.

1. SCPS requires parents/guardians to complete an online pre-registration process before going to a school to complete the Student Registration process. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to read the ParentVUE Quick Tip sheet, which provides step-by-step instructions for online pre-registration.

2. After reading the information, please access the ParentVUE Online Portal to begin online registration.

3. Once Pre-Registration is complete, you must finalize the registration process at your child's school site. Please use the forms below to ensure you have all the appropriate documents.

   
   

Important Information

• Birth Certificate: If you do not have an original birth certificate, please visit the Virginia Department of Health - Office of Vital Records website.

• Social Security Number: If you do not have a social security number, please visit the U.S. Social Security Administration website.

  
  

• Physical Examination: Besides the items on the registration checklist, your child must complete a physical examination by a physician. A physical examination form must be completed by a physician no earlier than 12 months before the date of entrance into school if the student is enrolling in public school for the first time. For students who have been enrolled in public school previously, the physical examination form submitted at the time of first enrollment may be used.

  
  

Calling all students looking for a fun, exciting way to learn, explore, and grow this summer!

Join us for our summer enrichment program on June 8-11, 2026!

Spotsylvania County Public Schools offers a variety of Summer Enrichment Programs for current Kindergarten through 5th graders. These classes are taught by highly enthusiastic teachers looking to engage students through hands-on learning opportunities. Students will take control of their own learning and leave feeling empowered. There is something for every student! Go to the SCPS Summer Enrichment Website to view the information and register online. Sign up early as classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration begins on March 16, 2026 and closes on April 17, 2026.

APRIL

16th Spring Chorus Concert @ 7pm

21st Teacher Workday

30th SOL Carnival & Community Resource Fair

MAY

4th Staff Appreciation Week Kicks Off

5th Mental Wellness Discussion & Community Resource Fair

12th Spirit Night @ Dairy Queen

13th PTO Meeting @ 4pm

14th DARE Day for 5th grade

25th Student/Staff Holiday

27th Field Day

28th Early Release

28th 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony at Massaponax High School @ 6:30pm

29th Early Release/Last day of school

29th 5th Grade Picnic

Lost and Found will be emptied on 04/20. Please claim any outstanding items. Check out the Google album here. Thank you for your support as we seek to maintain this space!

Want to help out in your child's classroom or at school events? You will need to first complete a Volunteer Form (located below). Please know that the form is due at least 5 days prior to you volunteering; however, you only need to fill out the form once for the school year (a new form is required every year). We can't wait to have you join us!

As a reminder, only service animals are allowed on school property. This means even if you are walking to pick your child up from school, you may not bring your dog. This is to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and parents. Thank you for your understanding.

As a reminder, all transportation changes require a handwritten note. Please do not email/message the teacher to make a change, as there is no guarantee that the teacher will see your email/message prior to the end of the day. Also, if you plan to pick your child(ren) up from school, and they typically ride the bus and you did not send in a note to the teacher, please plan to arrive by 3:15 as once dismissal starts there is no guarantee that your student will be called prior to the bus departing.Thank you for your understanding!

In July 2024, the SPCS School Board approved changes to the protocols regarding how birthdays can be recognized in the school setting. I realize that trying to read the entire Handbook online is hard so I am providing a copy of the protocol below. Please be aware that classrooms are allowed two classwide celebrations per year and teachers may invite families to send in special, store-bought treats at that time. This ensures that families with students with health conditions have time to prepare for alternate treats and/or have discussions with their individual child about allergies. All food sent in for those events will be checked by the school nurse and must still be nut-free. Thank you for your support in helping to keep our kids safe!

In SCPS elementary schools, we work hard to ensure that students’ minds and bodies are ready for learning each day. In addition to the hard work our teachers and staff do every day to prepare students for success in the classroom, we also work to encourage healthy eating and physical activity, leading them to lifelong success. We understand that celebrating students is very important and we are committed to recognizing students in healthy and safe ways.

Like many other schools, we have many students who suffer from life-threatening allergies. According to the Centers for Disease Control (2011), allergies have increased more than 20% among American children since the mid-1990s. Childhood obesity has tripled over the past 20 years. As a school community, we must do all we can to lessen the chances of an allergic incident happening and must work diligently to keep our students safe.

Each year, across our elementary sites, feedback from staff and parents is mixed with regard to outside food and treats. We are aware that this is a sensitive subject. We will continue to celebrate student birthdays as a school-wide community, however, should you choose to provide birthday treats to classmates, these goodies must be non-edible. Cupcakes, candy, and/or any other edible food items will not be allowed. Your school will reach out with specific, non-food alternative ways you can use to recognize your child’s birthday at school. Specific, school-wide celebrations will continue with other guidance and forward planning for a safe, healthy event.

As was shared previously, all car riders are required to sign-up for a number each year. This is to help us avoid any confusion if there has been a change for your family. Also, only students that are car riders every day will be issued a car rider number and will be allowed to utilize the car rider lanes. Any student that has a car rider number assigned will not have a bus assigned for the afternoon. Each family is issued 2 car rider tags. Additional tags will be $5.00. Anyone who wishes to pick up that does not have a car rider number issued will be required to park and walk-up to sign their child(ren) out. Please be sure to have your government issued identification available.

School policy states that no cell phones, smartwatches may be used from the start of the day until the end of the day (bell to bell). Students must stow away, in their backpacks, any cell phone, smartwatch, or ear buds that have bluetooth capabilities between 8:25 am-3:30pm. The electronic device should be set to “silent” while in the student’s backpack. Please reference C.12 in the Student Code of Conduct for more information.

We have great news! ALL students at Spotswood Elementary School will receive free breakfast and lunch for the 2025-2026 school year!! Extras, like ice cream, chips, cookies, and juice, will still be available for an additional fee.

If you plan to come eat lunch with your child, please be aware that you will need to sign in at the office first and get a Visitor's Badge. You will need a government issued ID in order to receive a pass. Unfortunately, adults do not qualify for free lunch.

Vision Statement: At Spotswood, every child is seen, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential—building the confidence, compassion, and curiosity to thrive in school and beyond.

Email: jsotzing@spotsylvania.k12.va.us
Website: https://wwww.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/o/spotswood
Location: 400 Lorraine Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: 540-898-1514
Twitter: @SpotswoodElem